Today's Agenda:
Jesus’ Fame Grows
This is the Work of God
I Am the Bread of Life
Some Disciples Leave Jesus
Jesus Condemns Tradition
That Which Defiles the Man
Let the Children First Be Filled
Jesus Feeds Four Thousand
Show Us a Sign from Heaven
‘Beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees’
Jesus Heals Another Blind Man
‘Who Do Men Say I Am?’
Jesus’ Fame Grows

John 6:22-71 - The following day, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, except the one where his disciples were on, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone, 23 even though there came other boats from Tiberias near unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks, 24 when the people saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.

25 And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?’ 26 Jesus answered them and said, ‘Truly, truly, I say unto you, You seek me, not because you saw the miracles, but because you did eat of the loaves, and were filled. 27 Labor not for the meat which perishes, but for that meat which endures unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him has God the Father sealed.’

This is the Work of God

28 Then they said unto him, ‘What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?’

29 Jesus answered and said unto them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe on him whom he has sent.’

30 They said therefore unto him, ‘What sign will you show then, that we may see, and believe you? What is your work? 31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’
32 Then Jesus said unto them, ‘Truly, truly, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven: 33 for the bread of God is he which comes down from heaven, and gives life unto the world.’

34 Then they said to him, ‘Lord, evermore give us this bread.’

I Am the Bread of Life

35 And Jesus said unto them, ‘I am the bread of life: he that comes to me shall never hunger; and he that believes on me shall never thirst. 36 But I said unto you: that you also have seen me, and believe not. 37 All that the Father gives me shall come to me; and him that comes to me I will in no wise cast out. 38 For I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me.

39 And this is the Father's will which has sent me, that of all which he has given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which sees the Son, and believes on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.’
41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, ‘I am the bread which came down from heaven.’

42 And they said, ‘Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then, that he said, ‘I came down from heaven?’
43 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, ‘Murmur not among yourselves. 44 No man can come to me, except the Father which has sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, and they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that has heard, and has learned of the Father, comes unto me. 46 Not that any man has seen the Father, save he which is of God, he has seen the Father.

47 Truly, truly, I say unto you, He that believes on me has everlasting life. 48 I am that bread of life. 49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.’

52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’

53 Then Jesus said unto them, ‘Truly, truly, I say unto you, except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoso eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, has eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
56 He that eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, dwells in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father has sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eats me, even he shall live by me. 58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eats of this bread shall live forever.’

59 These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.


Some Disciples Leave Jesus

60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, ‘This is an hard saying; who can understand it?’

61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, ‘Does this offend you? 62 What and if you shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? 63 It is the spirit that quickens; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 64 But there are some of you that believe not.’

For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. 65 And he said, ‘Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.’

66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, ‘Will you also go away?’

68 Then Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 And we believe and are sure that you are that Christ, the Son of the living God.’ 70 Jesus answered them, ‘Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?’

71 He spoke of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for it was he that should betray him, being one of the twelve.

Jesus Condemns Tradition

Mark 7:1-8:9 - Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. 2 And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashed, hands, they found fault. 3 For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands often, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.

4 And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there are which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brazen vessels, and of tables.

5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, ‘Why walk not your disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?’

6 He answered and said unto them, ‘Well has Isaiah prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.’ 7 How is it in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men? 8 For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things you do.’

9 And he said unto them, ‘Full well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your own tradition. 10 For Moses said, Honor your father and your mother; and, Whoso curses father or mother, let him die the death: 11 But you say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatever you might be profited by me; he shall be free.

12 And you suffer him no more to do anything for his father or his mother, 13 making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which you have delivered: and many such like things do you.’

14 And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, ‘Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand: 15 There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. 16 If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.’

17 And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. 18 And he said unto them, ‘Are you so without understanding also? Do you not perceive, that whatever thing from without enters into the man, it cannot defile him, 19 because it enters not into his heart, but into the belly, and goes out into the drain, purging all meats?’

That Which Defiles the Man

20 And he said, ‘That which comes out of the man, defiles the man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.’

24 And from there he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid. 25 For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet: 26 The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.

Let the Children First Be Filled

27 But Jesus said unto her, ‘Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.’ 28 And she answered and said unto him, ‘Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs.’ 29 And he said unto her, ‘For this saying, go your way; the devil is gone out of your daughter.’ 30 And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.

31 And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came to the Sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis. 32 And they brought unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him. 33 And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue;
34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said unto him, ‘Ephphatha’, that is: ‘Be opened.’

35 And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plain. 36 And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it; 37 and were beyond measure astonished, saying, ‘He has done all things well: he makes both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.’

Jesus Feeds Four Thousand

Mark 8:1 - In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said unto them, 2 ‘I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: 3 And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for many of them came from far.’

4 And his disciples answered him, ‘From where can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?’

5 And he asked them, ‘How many loaves do you have?’ And they said, ‘Seven.’ 6 And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. 7 And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them. 8 So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. 9 And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.

Show Us a Sign from Heaven

Matthew 15:39-16:4 - And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala. 1The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting, desired him that he would show them a sign from heaven.

2 He answered and said unto them, ‘When it is evening, you say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. 3 And in the morning, it will be foul weather today: for the sky is red and lowering. O you hypocrites, you can discern the face of the sky; but can you not discern the signs of the times? 4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas.’ And he left them, and departed.

‘Beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees’

Mark 8:13-26 - And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side. 14 Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf. 15 And he charged them, saying, ‘Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.’
16 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘It is because we have no bread.’ 17 And when Jesus knew it, he said unto them, ‘Why do you reason this way; because you have no bread? Don’t you perceive yet, nor understand? Is your heart still hardened? 18 Having eyes, see you not? And having ears, hear you not? And do you not remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took you up?’

They say unto him, ‘Twelve.’ 20 ‘And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took you up?’
And they said, ‘Seven.’

21 And he said unto them, ‘How is it that you do not understand?’

Jesus Heals Another Blind Man

22 And he came to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. 23 And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw anything.

24 And he looked up, and said, ‘I see men as trees, walking.’
25 After that, he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly. 26 And he sent him away to his house, saying, ‘Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.’

‘Who Do Men Say I Am?’

Matthew 16:13-28 - When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, ‘Whom do men say that I, the Son of man, am?’
14 And they said, ‘Some say that you are John the Baptist: some, Elijah; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.’

15 He said unto them, ‘But whom say you that I am?’
16 And Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’

17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood has not revealed it unto you, but my Father which is in heaven. 18 And I say also unto you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of the grave shall not prevail against it.

19 And I will give unto you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven: and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 20 Then he charged his disciples that they should tell no man he was Jesus the Christ.

21 From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, ‘Be it far from you, Lord: this shall not be unto you.’ 23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan: you are an offence unto me: for you savor not the things that are of God, but those that are of men.’

24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, ‘If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25 For whoever will save his life shall lose it: and whoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own life? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his life?

27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. 28 Truly I say unto you, there are some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his Kingdom.’
WHY JESUS MATTERS NOW
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